The IPL has set new standards in the cricketing world. Players from across the globe wish to participate in this highly competitive competition. The standard of cricket is excellent and there have been instances when players have broken into national squads on the back of splendid IPL performances.
Jos Butler rekindled his international career after his stupendous performance in the 2017 IPL season. It is no secret that players take their IPL stints with utmost sincerity and strive to excel in order to impress selectors. With the World T20 approaching, players who have been picked for their respective squads would want to make an impression and strike form before going into the big ICC tournament.
Over the years, there have been IPL players whose achievements have defied belief. Batsmen have gone on to score more than 700 runs in one season and averaged at above 50.
These numbers would have been unimaginable in a T20 format but the records have been shattered. We look at 5 right-handed batsmen with maximum runs in IPL.
1. Virat Kohli
It’s no surprise that king Kohli is at the no. 1 position. With more than 6000 runs in IPL at an average of 38, Kohli is above all his peers. His most astounding season was in 2016, the season in which he scored 973 runs. He won the Orange Cap for that season with 4 centuries. 2011 was his breakout season when he made 557 runs and since then has been a star contributor for his team.
2. Rohit Sharma
Kohli’s national deputy is close on his heels at the second position with nearly 5500 runs at a strike rate of 31.50. Except for 2018, Sharma has had all seasons with more than 300 runs. Batting at no. 4 which is significantly lower than his actual batting position, yet he has scored the bulk of his runs there. Sharma is the batting pivot of his franchise around which the team operates.
3. AB De Villiers
The ex Delhi Capital and current Bangalore batsman sit at the third position on this list. In his 10 years IPL career, he has scored 5056 runs at a brilliant average of 41. He has been the most mercurial batsman in the IPL and with Kohli has been RCB’s most important player. In the last few years, AB has saved the team from various positions when a victory seemed impossible.
4. MS Dhoni
The list has been dominated by two Indian current batting legends and MS gives his ex-teammates company by ranking 4th on the list. His journey with the CSK has been extremely fruitful and has resulted in silverware. Dhoni is a cult finisher of Indian cricket and even after coming so low down the order, he has managed to score 4669 runs at an average of 40.
5. Robin Uthappa
An IPL legend in his own right, Uthappa has played for numerous franchises over the years. He has scored a cumulative of 4607 runs at a healthy average of 28 runs. Despite being one of the Top 10 run-scorers in the competition, Uthappa hardly gets his due. Uthappa’s prime was in KKR during the 2014 season which was also won by the franchise. Uthappa won the Orange Cap that season for his sublime batting.
